France gave the Statue of Liberty. China sends pandas. What do diplomatic gifts mean – and how do you choose one?
The Guardian · 10d ago · New
Mainstream story
France’s offer to the American people was a point made on a colossal scale, and world leaders’ exchange of tokens remains a complex artIt was one of the most potent political gifts of modern times: the Statue of Liberty, a colossal neoclassical sculpture made in France and offered to the American people in the late 19th century.The size and symbolism of Liberty Enlightening the World (the statue’s original name) was intended as a mark of friendship to commemorate the centenary of the 1776 US declaration of independence. Delivered a decade late, it was also a reminder – perhaps a pointed one – of France’s critical role in helping the US break free from Britain.The Statue of Liberty is now one of the world’s most recognised monuments, its creator, Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, less so – a state of affairs Paris’s Musée d’Orsay is seeking to remedy with an exhibition highlighting the sculptor’s life and career. Continue reading...
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